One More Chance

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We immediately ran and went to Cayla's room, Thirdy and the rest just followed us. I'm getting nervous because Issa didn't tell me what's wrong. Pagdating namin sa kwarto nakita namin si Thalia umiiyak hawak hawak si Cayla na nasa sahig.

Issa: "Oh my god what happened?? Cayla, princess please wake up. Mommy is here." She said trying to wake her up.

Thalia: "She woke up and started vomiting, and then she fainted. I panicked and didn't know what to do." She said while in tears.

Von: "Let's bring her to the hospital." I carried Cayla and went out of the room.

Thirdy offered us a ride at pumayag naman kami, hindi rin kasi ako makaka concentrate sa pag drive. When we arrived at the hospital we were welcomed by nurses sa emergency room at isinakay si Cayla sa stretcher. Issa and Thalia kept on crying, I tried to be as calm as possible because it won't help the situation. But of course deep inside, I'm worried of how the test results will show. Pinalabas kami sa emergency room pero we can still see from the outside that Cayla is being injected and connected to a machine, she's on oxygen also. Si Issa halos mabaliw na sa kakaiyak, she wants to go inside. I didn't realize that I was also crying, this is the first time something happened to Cayla. It hurts to see your daughter in this situation. It's like she's fighting for her life. What we can do now is to pray and wait.

We waited for almost an hour outside the emergency room. The others decided to go home because it's already very late. Thalia, Thirdy, Kim, Maddie and Kat stayed. When the doctor came out, tumayo agad si Issa at nilapitan ito.

Issa: "Doc how's our daughter? Is she okay? What happened to her?" sunod sunod niyang tanong.

Doctor: "Your daughter is okay but she's under observation. We'll have to monitor her because some of the test results showed that she suffered from poisoning. Biglang humina ang tibok ng puso niya but we were able to revive her. It's a good thing na sinugod niyo siya agad dito because one of the symptoms of poisoning although few cases lang is seizure and kung hindi ito agad mabigyan ng gamot, it will cause brain damage or worst, it will lead to death." I sighed. "If I may ask, may mga gamot ba siyang iniinom? Yung mga gamot niyo sa bahay, do you keep it far from reach?" She asked.

Issa: "Vitamins lang yung iniinom niya araw-araw doc. And yes, lahat ng gamot sa bahay we keep it far from reach."

Doctor: "Okay. We'll keep you updated with the other test results. For now, you can transfer her to a private room."

We're already settled inside the private room and Cayla is still asleep. The doctor told us its the side effect of the sedative she gave her. Issa never left Cayla's side, so is Thalia. I called Dad and told him what happened, he's very worried at papunta na daw siya dito. Kim, Maddie, Thirdy and Kat stayed with us. We weren't talking to each other, I know they have a lot of questions but now's not the right time to talk about it. Especially that Cayla is under observation.

We heard a knock on the door and Dad went inside. He went straight to Issa ang hugged her.

Alex: "What did the doctor say? Okay na ba ang apo ko?" He asked while rubbing Issa's back. "Tahan na hija."

AJ: "Cayla's already stable dad, but she is still under observation. She suffered from poisoning." I said. Issa wiped her tears.

Alex: "Poisoning? How?"

Issa: "We don't know dad. She was okay at the party, tulog pa nga siya. Then it suddenly happened."

Alex: "Sa lahat ng panahon na mangyari to, sa grand launch pa ng company." He sighed then the doctor came in with the other test results.

Doctor: "Good evening Mr. Arcilla. The other test results already came out and it showed na your daughter was poisoned by a harmful chemical substance that is used in fertilizers and paints. These chemicals are only distributed to factories na nag ma manufacture ng said products. I think it was no accident, maybe someone intentionally tried to poison your daughter so I suggest na mag-ingat kayo because we don't know the motive of the one who did this."

Issa couldn't stop crying, she was shaking in fear.

Alex: "This is alarming. We have to report this to the authorities. Dodoblehin ko ang mga body guards natin."

Thirdy: "Tito, why don't we ask for the CCTV footages of the hotel? By that pwede natin makita ang pangyayari before and during the party." He suggested.

Alex: "Thanks for the suggestion hijo. I'll let my private investigator talk to the management first thing tomorrow." Issa and I agreed. "Well, hindi na ako pwedeng magtagal dito. Kailangan ko rin magpahinga its late na. Di ba muna kayo uuwi para kumuha ng gamit?"

Issa: "Sino po magbabantay kay Cayla?" I thought about staying but I have to help Issa get Cayla's things and also get our car.

Thirdy: "Kami na lang muna magbabantay sa kanya habang tulog pa siya." He volunteered. As much as I want to reject his offer pero may utang na loob din kami sa kanya dahil sasakyan niya ang ginamit namin papunta dito.

Issa: "No it's okay Thirdy. Sobrang abala na yun sayo, ako na lang magbabantay dito. You know what to bring naman love diba?" She asked me.

AJ: "Come with me love. I don't know what to bring, hindi ko rin kabisado mga gamit ni Cayla. Di tayo magtatagal." I said and she thought about it.

Thirdy: "It's okay Bea, I insist." She heaved a sigh.

Issa: "Okay. Pero if anything goes wrong, tawagan mo agad kami. Here's my calling card." Sabi niya sabay bigay ng calling card. "We'll go ahead para makabalik agad kami."

**

Di pa rin totally nag sink in sa akin lahat ng mga nangyari ngayong gabi. I should be happy na buhay si Bea, oo buhay nga siya pero bilang si Issa na. I have many things I want to ask her pero now's not the right time. Kung di sana ako naging gago dati, ako sana ang magiging ama ng anak namin ni Bea. Sa tuwing tinitingnan ko si Cayla ngayon, nasasaktan ako. Pero hindi ko alam kung bakit ang gaan-gaan ng loob ko sa kanya, kaya di ako nag dalawang isip na mag volunteer to look after her for the meantime. We only met once and we barely didn't talk pero I find myself so comfortable when she's near me, parang may nararamdaman akong connection. Siguro dahil anak siya ng babaeng mahal ko kaya ganun.

Andito ako sa tabi ni Cayla ngayon, hindi ako umalis dito simula ng umalis sila AJ. Ewan ko ba, parang gusto kong dito na lang ako palagi sa tabi niya. Kanina ko pa hinahaplos ang kanyang kamay habang tinititigan siyang natutulog. Kuhang kuha niya ang labi at mata ni Bea.

Maddie: "May napansin ako kay Cayla." She blurted out of the blue. Napatingin naman kami sa kanya.

Kim: "Ano yun?"

Maddie: "I don't know pero wala akong nakitang feature ni AJ na nakuha ni Cayla." Sabi niya.

Kat: "And your point is?"

Maddie: "Ang point ko is, nakakapagtaka lang kasi. Siyempre anak mo tapos walang nakuha na feature galing sayo? Diba impossible naman na wala talaga, genes at dugo mo ang dumadaloy sa kanya. Kahit man lang siguro yung kulay or pisngi. Wala talaga eh, unless di si AJ ang ama." Nabigla naman sila sa sinabi niya.

Kimmy: "Mads naisip mo pa talaga yan sa situation ngayon? At dahan dahan ka naman sa sinasabi mo, what if may makarinig sayo?"

Maddie: "Sorry I can't help it. But still, yun pa rin ang observation ko."

Hindi na ulit nagsalita si Maddie. Bigla akong napaisip sa mga nasabi niya kanina, possible kayang di nga anak ni AJ si Cayla? Well unless siguro kung may iba pang naging boyfriend si Bea bago kay AJ, pero sa pagkaka-alala ko, ako ang huling boyfriend ni Bea. And by that, it's as if I was struck by lightning.

Thirdy: "Ilang taon na si Cayla?" tanong ko sa kanila.

Kimmy: "She's turning 5 daw this year."

Thirdy: "Ilang taon ng kasal si AJ at Bea?" alam kong nagtataka na sila sa mga tanong ko.

Kimmy: "Based sa nabasa kong mga articles, 4 years. Why are you asking about these things all of a sudden? Don't tell me." Sabi niya. Tiningnan ko lang siya ng seryoso, shock was written all over her face.

Could it be?